Home education information, articles, resource and suggested reading

Songs and Poems for Young Children

A Huge collection of Songs and Poems for Children. You will find many poems suitable for teaching young children. – I would love you to contribute more songs.

THE VULTURE

The vulture eats between his meals
And that’s the reason why
He very, very rarely feels
As well as you or I.

His eye is dull
His head is bald
His neck is growing thinner
Oh, what a lesson for us all
To only eat at dinner

HERE IS THE OSTRICH

Here is the ostrich straight and tall
Nodding his head above us all
Here is the long snake on the ground
Wriggling over the stones he found
Here are the birds that fly so high
Spreading their wings across the sky
Here is the hedgehog prickly and small
Rolling himself into a ball
Here is the spider scuttling around
Treading so lightly on the ground
Here are the children fast asleep
And here at night the owls do peep

KANGAROO RHYME

Old jumpety-bumpety, hop and ….
…. Lying asleep on his side in the sun
This old kangaroo he was whisking the flies
With his long glossy tail
From his ears and his eyes
Old jumpety-bumpety, hop and go one
Was lying asleep on his side in the sun
Jumpety, pumpety, hop

Incy-Wincy Spider

Incy-Wincy Spider, climbing up the spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
Incy-Wincy Spider climbing up again .
GOT HIM!

ARABELLA MILLER

Little Arabella Miller
Found a hairy caterpillar
First it crawled upon her mother
Then upon her baby brother
All said: Arabella Miller
Take away that caterpiller
Trot, Trot, Trot

BIRTHDAY SONGS

(Mary) is (five) years old today
(She’s) (five) years old this morning
And so we light (five) candles bright
For (Mary) is (five) today!

(Mary) has waited a whole long year
To light (her) (five) birthday candles
And so we sing and sit in a ring
For (Mary) is (five) today!

A SMILE

A smile is such a lovely thing
It crinkles up your face
And when it’s gone it’s hard to find
It’s secret hiding place
But far more wonderful it is
To know what smiles can do –
I smile at you
You smile at me
And so one smile makes two!

HERE IS MY HEAD

Here is my head, and here is my nose
Here are my knees, and here are my toes
Here are my fingers, one, two, three –
(Susan) come and shake hands with me

SHARING SECRETS

I have a secret
That I will tell to you
Do you have a secret?
Please tell it to me, too

READY TO GO (HOLIDAYS)

We’ve one large trunk
Two big cases
Three small bags
Four clean faces
Five minutes more till we drive away
Then six weeks fun on holiday

TOMMY’S FIVE SENSES

Tommy’s ears help him to hear
And keep his balance, too
Tommy’s eyes help him see
If something’s red or blue
Tommy’s hand help him touch
And know just how things feel
Tommy’s tongue helps him taste
A sour lemon peel
Tommy’s nose helps him smell
The food he likes to chew
Tommy’s senses help him think
Decide and learn to do
Tommy has five senses as
This picture of him shows –
Tommy’s helpers: ears and eyes
And hands and tongue and nose

( L B Scott & J J Thompson – ‘Talking Time’, McGraw-Hill)

CLAPPING HANDS

Let’s clap hands together
My best friend and me
First clap left hands
Then clap right hands
Now both hands together
One, two, three

Let’s clap hands together
My best friend and me
Clap your own hands
Cross your own hands
Clap both hands together
One, two, three

GOOD MORNING MR SUN

Good morning Mr Sun
Our day has just begun
We love to see your shining face
Good morning Mr Sun

NIDDLEDY, NODDLEDY

Niddledy, noddledy, to and fro
Tired and sleepy to bed we must go
Jump into bed, turn out the light
Head on the pillow and shut your eyes tight
Shut your eyes tight, shut your eyes tight
Head on the pillow and shut your eyes tight

—oOo—

We thank the Lord for happy hearts
For rain and sunny weather
We thank the Lord for this our food
And that we are together

—oOo—

Before I eat my food today
I like to stop and say
Thank you God
Oh thank you God
For all my food today

—oOo—

Thank you for the world so sweet
Thank you for the food we eat
Thank you for the birds that sing
Thank you God for everything

—oOo—

Bread is a lovely thing to eat
God bless the bakery and the wheat
I love these things; to breathe this air
God bless the sunshine everywhere

—oOo—

Come, Lord Jesus
Be our guest
And let Thy gifts
To us be blest

—oOo—

Our hands we fold
Our heads we bow
For food and drink
We thank thee now

—oOo—

Thank you God
For milk and bread
And other things so good
Thank you God
For those who help
To grow and cook my food

PRAYERS:

Father, bless our school today
Be in all we do or say
Be in every song we sing
Every prayer to thee we bring

—oOo—

Dear God, my heavenly Father
Bless me at school today
And help me learn my lessons
In Jesus name I pray

THE THANK YOU SONG

For soap and tissues
And useful things
For jungle gyms
And slides and swings
For music and stories
And pictures gay
We sing our thank you song today

For the blue of the sky
For the gold of the sun
For mothers and fathers
And friends and fun
For bulbs in the soil
And fishes that play
We sing our thank you song today

—oOo—

TEN FLUFFY CHICKENS

Five eggs and five eggs
That makes ten
Sitting on top is the mother hen
Crackle, crackle, crackle
What do I see
Ten fluffy chickens
As yellow as can be!

FIVE LITTLE DUCKS THAT I ONCE KNEW

Five little ducks that I once knew
Fat ones, thin ones, there were two
But the one little duck
With the feather at the back
He led the others with his quack, quack, quack
Down to the water they would go
Widdle, waddle, widdle, waddle
All in a row
But the one little duck
With the feather at his back
He led the others with his
Quack, quack, quack!

FIVE LITTLE DUCKS WENT FOR A SWIM ONE DAY

Five little ducks went for a swim one day
Over the pond and far, far away
Mother duck said:
Quack, quack, quack
And only four little ducks
Came swimming back

Repeat:
Four …… Three
Three ……. Two
Two …… One
One ……. No

Mother duck went for a swim one day
Over the pond and far, far away
Father duck said
Quack, quack, quack
And ALL the ducks came swimming back

CHICKENS, DUCKS, FISH

Have You Seen the Little Ducks

Have you seen the little ducks
Walking to the water
Father, mother, baby duck
Grandma and daughter

Chorus: Quack, quack, quack …

Drinking at the water?
Swimming on the water?

FISHES SWIM

Fishes swim through water clear
Birds fly up into the air
Little kittens softly creep
Little children go to sleep

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE

One, two, three, four, five
I caught a fish alive
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten
I let him go again
Why did you let him go?
Because he bit my finger so!
Which finger did he bite?
The little finger on the right!

THE FISHES

Little silver fishes
Darting to and fro
I can see you shining
As you come and go

In the bright cool water
Merrily you play
That is very pleasant
On a sunny day

But, when winter passes
Through this little glen
Little silver fishes
What do you do then?

I LOVE MOTHER

I stand way up on my tippy-toes
While Mother leans over to hear
And then I whisper so no-one else knows
I love you so much, Mother dear!

I LOVE DADDY

When Daddy comes, I run to see
Just what Daddy has brought for me
I give him a kiss and hug him too
I think Daddies are nice, don’t you?

MY GRANDPA

When Grandpa reads a book to me
I snuggle up on Grandpa’s knee
I sit and look and listen too
And kiss my Grandpa when he is through!

I LOVE GRANDMA

Grandma’s eyes are shining blue
Through the glasses on her nose
Grandma has the sweetest smile
And the nicest smelling clothes
When Grandma rests, I am still
Until she wakes up, and then
I run and hug my Grandma dear
Then she hugs me back again!

BABY SISTER

My baby sister is quite small
But we have fun, you see
I tickle baby sister’s chin
And then she laughs at me!

GRANDMOTHER’S GLASSES

Here are Grandmother’s glasses
Here is Grandmother’s cap
This is the way she folds her hands
And puts them in her lap

Here are Grandfather’s glasses
Here is Grandfather’s hat
This is the way he folds his arms
And sits like that.

COUSIN PETER (ACTION SONG)

Last evening Cousin Peter came (3)
To say that he was here

He hung his hat upon the peg (3)
To show that he was here

He wiped his shoes upon the mat (3)
To show that he was here

He kicked his shoes off one by one (3)
To show that he was here

He danced about in stockinged feet
To show that he was here

He played he was a great big bear (3)
To show that he was here

He tossed us up into the air (3)
To show that he was here

He made a bow and said “good bye” (3)
To show that he would go!

Goodbye! Goodbye!

HERE IS A HOUSE

Here is a house with a chimney tall
Here are the trees hanging over the wall
Here are the windows open them wide
Here is the family that lives inside
Father, Mother, Sister, Brother,
And tiny little Baby!

PRAYER

Dear God
Thank you for little babies who
Are so very new
Help us to help them and love
Them too
Thank you for my Mummy and Daddy
Who work hard to care for me
Thank you for making them and
Thank you for making me!

GETTING TO KNOW FINGERS

THIS IS THE FATHER

This is the Father who brings us our bread
This is the Mother who puts us to bed
This is the Brother who plays with his ball
This is the sister who plays with her doll
And this is the baby – the smallest of all

THIS LITTLE CLOWN

This Little Clown
. is short and gay
. works all day
. is tall and strong
. sings a happy song
. is so small – but he can
bring letters to us all

THIS LITTLE KITTEN SAID

This Kitten Said:

. I smell a mouse
. Let’s hunt through the house
. Let’s pretend we’re asleep
. Let’s go creepity creep
. Meouw, meouw – I saw him
run into his hole just now

OPEN THEM, SHUT THEM

Open them, shut them (2x)
Lay them in your lap
Shut them, open them (2x)
Give a little clap
Roll them, roll them (2x)
Just like this
Wave them, wave them (2x)
Blow a little kiss

GETTING TO KNOW FINGERS

TOMMY THUMB

FINGER FAMILY

Here is the father so loving and dear
Here is the mother so full of good cheer
Here is the brother so straight and so tall
Here is the sister who plays with her doll
Here is the baby who rolls his big ball
This is a family, God loves one and all!

WIGGLE YOUR FINGERS

Wiggle your fingers
Waggle your fingers
Shake your fingers so
Stretch them out and touch a friend
And he’ll be glad I know.

WHERE IS THUMBKIN?

Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am, here I am
How are you today sir?
Very well, I thank you
Run away, run away.

Repeat for each finger:
Pointer
Longman
Ringman
Pinkie

DRAWING IN THE AIR

I can make a circle
I can make a square
I can “write” up and down
Right in the air.

TWO FAT GENTLEMEN

Two fat gentlemen (thumbs)
Met in the lane
Bowed most politely
And bowed once again
How do you do!
How do you do!
And how do you do again!

Repeat for other fingers:
Two young schoolboys (pointers)
Two tall policeman (middle)
Two lovely ladies (ring)
Two tiny babies (little).

TEN LITTLE GENTLEMEN

Ten little gentlemen, all in a row
Bow down gentlemen, bow down low
Walk across the floor, little gentlemen
Walk across the floor
And please little gentlemen
Don’t forget to shut the door – BANG!

TEN LITTLE SQUIRRELS

Ten little squirrels sitting in a tree
These two said:
What can we see? (thumbs)
These two said:
A man with a gun! (pointers)
These two said:
Come on let’s run, let’s run (middle)
These two said:
Let’s hide in the shade
These two said:
We’re not afraid –
When BANG went the gun
And away they all run.

THIS LITTLE FINGER

This little finger is going to bed
Down on his pillow he lays his head
Wraps himself in his blankets tight
This is the way he sleeps all night.

Morning comes, he opens his eyes
Back with a toss, the cover flies
Up he jumps, is dressed and away
Ready for work and play all day.

SETTLING CHILDREN

Songs and Poems about settling and calming children

GRANDMOTHER’S GLASSES

Here are grandmother’s glasses
Here is grandmother’s cap
This is the way she folds her hands
And puts them in her lap.

Here are grandfather’s glasses
Here is grandfather’s hat
This is the way he folds his arms
And sits like that!

READY FOR OUR STORY

Let us place our feet in a nice straight row
Let us fold our hands together, just so
Let us sit up straight like ladies and men
Now we are ready for our story to begin.

FINGERS, TELL ME

Fingers, fingers I ask you
Can you tell me stories true?
Can you tell me how it’s done?
How children play and have their fun?
Can you tell me of squirrels and bees
How flowers grow, how baby sleeps?
“Yes, we can. We will tell –
Watch us closely – listen well”.

OUR BIBLE

Here is our Bible
It’s stories are true
God gave us these stories
For me and you.

Quiet, so quiet
We all now will be
Listen – a story –
And pictures to see!

UP WE GO

Up and up and up we go
Sometimes fast and sometimes slow
When we get right to the top
Twist them round and make them …
Down and down and down we creep
Fold them up and go to sleep.

POSTMAN, MILKMAN etc

WHAT IF?

What if the milkman forgot to stop
Just pushed his cart right by?
I would fill up my bowl with cornflakes
And then have to eat them dry!

What if the dustman forgot to stop
Just passed our house right by?
Our bin would be full of orange peels and tins
In a pile right up to the sky!

What if the postman forgot to stop
Just walked with his bag far away?
I would have to write a long letter
For him to bring the next day!

What if no-one came to our house
To help us now and then?
We would have to go out to find them
And ask them please to come again!

THANKS FOR HELPERS

Thank you, God, for helpers
Who help us every day!
The Dustman with his lorry
To cart our rubbish away
The Postman with his heavy bag
Who brings the post along
The Milkman with his bottles
Of milk to make me strong
I’m sure that helping others
Is part of Your great plan
So I will be a helper too
In any way I can.

THIS LITTLE POSTMAN

(Using fingers of one hand)

This little Postman:
. is short and gay (thumb)
. works all day (forefinger)
. is tall and strong (middle)
. sings a happy song (ring)
. is so small – but he can bring letters
to us all. (small finger)

THE POSTMAN

Each day I wait for the Postman
To see what he will bring –
A letter or a parcel
That’s just the very thing.

Lots of letters in his bag
One specially for me
The Postman is a helper
And that’s what I will be!

POSTMAN’S KNOCK

Rattat! Rattat!
There’s the postman at the door
He always knocks like that
No matter who it’s for
It might be a letter
And it might be a box
So I’m always very glad
When the postman knocks.

Rattat! Rattat!
Shall I run along to see
If he is on the mat
With something meant for me?
It may be just a postcard
But it might be a box
So I always run to look
When the postman knocks.

PRAYER

Dear God
As I lie in my cosy bed
I think of all the people who are
Working while I sleep
The milkman, the baker, the train driver,
The telephone man
Please bless them, and all the others
Who help me.
Amen

EARLY IN THE MORNING

Early in the morning
At eight o’clock
I can hear the postman
Knock, knock, knock
Up jumps ….(any child’s name)
And goes to the door –
One letter, two letters, three letters, four!

CHUG, CHUG, CHUG!

Chug, chug, chug! Whistle and blow –
Pull out the lever and merrily go
Down the valley and up the hill
Speeding along with a bright goodwill.

Chug, chug, chug! Whistle and blow –
Pull out the lever and merrily go
Down the valley and up the hill
Chug, chug, chug! Home we go!

THE TRAIN

Tickerty-tack
Over the track
Far, far away
Puffing all day

Tickerty-too
Hurry up do!
Trains cannot wait
Must not be late

Tickerty-tock
Nickerty-nock
Speeding along
Singing this song

Tickerty-tackerty
Nickerty-nackerty
Tickerty-tackerty
Tock!

DOWN AT THE STATION

Down at the station
Early in the morning
See the little engines
All in a row –
The man inside the engine
Turns a little handle
Poop-poop, choof-choof
Off we go!

HERE IS THE TRAIN LINE

Here is the train line
And here is the train
Puff (4) up the line
And puff (4) down again.

PUFF-A-TRAIN

AEROPLANES

Aeroplanes, aeroplanes, all in a row
Aeroplanes, aeroplanes, ready to go
Hark, they’re beginning to buzz and to hum
Bzzzzzzzzz!
Engines all working so come along
Now they are flying high up in the sky
Higher and higher and ever so high!

AUTO AUTO

Auto, auto may I have a ride?
Yes sir, yes sir, sit down inside
Pour in the water, turn on the gasoline
Peep-peep, peep-peep, peep-peep, peep-peep
Into the country green.
TOYS:

I’VE A DEAR LITTLE DOLLY

I’ve a dear little dolly
She has eyes of bright blue
She can open and shut them
And she smiles at me too.

In the morning I dress her
And we go out to play
But I like best to rock her
At the close of each day.

JACK-IN-THE-BOX

The jack-in-the-box jumps up
The jack-in-the-box goes flop
The jack-in-the-box goes round and round
And the lid goes down with a FLOP!

HERE’S A BALL FOR BABY

Here’s a ball for baby
Big and soft and round
Here is baby’s hammer
Hear how he can pound
Here is baby’s trumpet, toot –
Toot, toot, toot, toot, toot
And this is the way that baby
Plays at Peek-a-boo.

WE WILL BUILD A LITTLE HOUSE

We will build a little house
With two chimneys tall
A little sloping roof
And a garden wall
Two big gates that open wide
And two tiny little windows
We can peep inside.

We will build a little table
Big enough for two
Two cosy little chairs
One for me, one for you
Knock at the door
And walk right in
For our little house is shining
Like a bright new pin

SKIPPING

Over my head and under my toes
Watch the way my skipping rope goes
Over my head, ten toes off the ground
See my rope swing round and round
I can skip slowly, I can skip fast
Watch my rope go whirling past
Over my head and under my toes
It’s fun the way my skipping rope goes

H I Rostron

THE WOODEN HORSE

I had a little hammer
And I had a little nail
I had a little wooden horse
Who had no wooden tail
So I took my little hammer
And I took my little nail
And I gave my little wooden horse
A little wooden tail

BOUNCING BALL

I’m like a great big bouncing ball
Up in the air, then down I fall
How I run around the room
You can’t catch me
(Twisting and turning)
One, two, three!

TWO LITTLE TEDDY BEARS

Two little teddy bears
Big brown eyes
Fluffy little Teddy Bears
Making mud pies
Muddy little paws, dirtly little feet
Making mud pies is a very special treat
Pop them in the oven
Bake them in the oven
Bake them till they’re brown
Our mud pies are the best in town
Ask all the other Bears
Won’t you come to tea
To eat the finest mud pies
In the whole country?
TEDDY

You never see a teddy with his slippers on
‘Cause he can’t do his buttons up
Nor put his hat on

He can never wash his face
Nor have chocolate bics for tea
But I love him just the same
And he loves me.

HELPING

Songs and Poems about Helping.

A HAPPY HELPER

In the morning when I awake
Very quickly my bed I made
Put on my clothes and shoes with care
Hang up my pyjamas, and comb my hair!

I SHARE MY TOYS

My teddy bear has great big eyes
And he can close them too
I let my brother play with him
I like to share, don’t you?

PICK-UP TIME

Pick up the ball, pick up the bat
Pick up the fuzzy kitty-cat
Into the big toy box they go
Then close the lid with care, just so
All happy helpers do their share
To make their rooms neat everywhere!

AT THE BARBERSHOP

MAKING COOKIES

Stir the dough and roll it flat
Then cut cookies just like that
Into the oven, watch them go
They must bake a while, you know
When they’re brown and nicely done
We’ll have cookies for everyone!

I CAN HELP DO DISHES

Swishety-swish the dishes go
In the water to and fro
Mother washes while I try
To get the dishes very dry!

GETTING UP

When I get up in the morning
I’ll tell you what I do
I wash my hands and wash my face
Splishety-splash, splishety-splash
I clean my teeth till they’re shining white
Scrubbity-scrub, scrubbity-scrub
Then I put on my clothes and brush my hair
And runnity-run, I run downstairs.

IN THE MIRROR

In the mirror on the wall
There’s a face I always see
Round and pink, and rather small
Looking back again at me.

It is very rude too rude to stare
But she never thinks of that
For her eyes are always there
What can she be looking at?

MAKING COOKIES

I am making cookie dough
Round and round the beaters go
Add some flour from a cup
Stir and stir the batter up
Roll them, cut them nice and neat
Put them on a cookie sheet
Bake them, count them – one, two, three
Serve them to my friends for tea.

FOUR LITTLE JAM TARTS

Four little jam tarts
Mummy made for tea
One for daddy
One for mummy
That leaves two for me! (paint 4 paper plates like jam tarts).

SING A SONG OF WASHING UP

Sing a song of washing up
Water hot as hot
Cups and saucers, plates and spoons
Dishes – such a lot
Work the dishcloth round and round
Wash them clean as clean
Polish with a dry white cloth
How busy we have been!

ROAD SAFETY

Songs and Poems about Road Safety

TRAFFIC LIGHTS

Red light, red light, what do you say?
I say stop, and stop right away
Yellow light, yellow light, what do you mean?
I mean wait till the lights turn green
Green light, green light, what do you say?
I say cross, but please look each way
Thank-you, thank-you: red, yellow, green
Now we know what the traffic lights mean.

STOP! SAYS THE RED LIGHT

TRAFFIC SONG

Listen all you boys and girls
This is my advice to you
When you come to a corner
Stop! And this is what you do –
Stop! Look right, look left
Before you cross the road
Stop! Look right, look left and right again
Stop! Look right, look left
Before you cross the road
Stop! Look right, look left and right again.

KERB DRILL

On your way to school
If a road you’ve to cross
With the traffic on its way
Here’s a rule to learn
As you stand on the kerb
It’s an easy rhyme to say:

Refrain:

Eyes right! Eyes left!
Eyes right once again
Then, if the road is clear
Quick march! Don’t rush!
You may cross the road
For there’s nothing now to fear.

To the park you go
With your bat and your ball
On the pavement do not play
And remember, too
When you’re crossing the road
There’s a rhyme you have to say:

Refrain:

LOOK OUT

Motor cars, like horses
Have great big shining eyes
Great big shining eyes
Great big shining eyes
So have little children
And they’ll use them if they’re wise
They’ll use them if they’re wise
They’ll use them if they’re wise.

THE LIGHTS

If the lights shines Red, don’t move
If the light shines Amber, don’t move
But when it’s clearly seen to turn to Green
Why, then you may safely move.

SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE

Sing a song of sixpence
A song of happy days
Crossing with the green light
And looking both ways
Watching the policeman
And crossing when you’re told
That’s the way to happiness
And laughter when you’re old.
But if we take no notice
Of lights that are our guide
With lorries, cars or buses
We’re likely to collide
So let us ride with caution
And do as we are told
And then we’ll ride quite safely
From now until we’re old.

(2nd verse written by Mrs M Vice, Pinetown Gov. Infants School)

DANCES, GAMES ETC

Songs and Poems and Dances and Games

ONE FINGER, ONE THUMB

One finger, one thumb, keep moving (3x)
We’ll all be happy and bright

One finger, one thumb, one arm, keep moving
We’ll all be happy and bright

Continue – adding:
One leg
One nod of the head
Stand up, sit down.

AS JOHNNY WENT A-WALKING

As Johnny went a-walking, a-walking, a-walking
As Johnny went-a-walking one fine day
He met a little neighbour, a neighbour, a neighbour
And they began to play.

First they played at horses, horses, horses
First they played at horses
Just this way!

They they played at aeroplanes, aeroplanes, aeroplanes (etc)

Then they played at bunnies, bunnies, bunnies (etc)

Then they played at engines, engines, engines (etc)

WE ARE THE MUSICIANS

We are the musicians
Let us go to London town
What can you play?
The vio-vio-violin
The vio-vio-violin
The vio-vio-violin
The v-i-o-lin.

Repeat for:

The pia-pia-piano

The tara-tar-tarara (drum)

(RUSSEL) HAMMERS WITH ONE HAMMER

(Russell) hammers with one hammer, one hammer, one hammer
(Russell) hammers with one hammer all day long
(Russell) hammers with one hammer, one hammer, one hammer
(Russell) hammers with one hammer all day long

(Jane) hammers with two hammers, two hammers, two hammers
(Jane) hammers with two hammers all day long
(Jane) hammers with two hammers, two hammers, two hammers
(Jane) hammers with two hammers all day long

Continue to five hammers:
One hammer = one hand
Two hammers = two hands
Three hammers = two hands, one foot
Four hammers = two hands, two feet
Five hammers = two hands, two feet
And one head nodding

I’M A LITTLE TEAPOT

I’m a little teapot, short and stout
Here is my handle , here is my spout
When the water boils you hear me shout
Tip me up and pour me out!

I’M A LITTLE MONKEY

I’m a little monkey
How do you do today?
See me take my hat off
When I shout “Hooray”
I can clap my hands
And stamp upon the floor
See if you can do the same
And then we’ll have some more

I’m a little monkey
Hip hip hip hooray
I can stick my hands out
Then tuck them away
See my head go nodding
Nodding all the day
I’m a little monkey
Hip hip hip hooray!

LITTLE SISTER DANCE WITH ME

Little sister dance with me
Both my hands I give to thee
Once to the left
And once to the right
Round and round
We are so bright!

With our hands we clap, clap, clap
With our feet we tap, tap, tap
Once to the left
And once to the right
Round and round
We are so bright!

With our heads we knick, knick, knick
With our fingers click, click, click
Once to the left
And once to the right
Round and round
We are so bright!

JACK-IN-THE-BOX

Jack-in-the-box sits so still
(Children crouched quietly)
Will you come out?
Yes, I will!
(Children jump up high)

WE ALL CLAP HANDS

We all clap hands together (3x)
As children like to do

We all stamp feet together (3x)
As children like to do

We all nod heads together (3x)
As children like to do

We all jump up together (3x)
As children like to do
We all sit down together (3x)
As children like to do

JACK-IN-THE-BOX

The jack-in-the-box jumps up
The jack-in-the-box goes flop
The jack-in-the-box goes round and round
And the lid goes down with a PLOP!

THE HOLLY HOLLY HO

The captain says it will never, never do
Never, never do, never, never do
The captain says it will never, never do
On the 15th of December.

THE GRAND OLD DUKE OF YORK

Oh! The grand old Duke of York
He had ten thousand men
He marched them up to the top of the hill
And he marched them down again
And when they were up they were up
And when they were down they were down
And when they were only half way up
They were neither up nor down

Oh! The grand old Duke of York
He had ten thousand men
They banged their drums as they went up the hill
And they banged them down again
And when they were up ……….

Oh! The grand old Duke of York
He had ten thousand men
They tootled their flutes as they marched up the hill
And they tootled them down again
And when they were up ……….

IN AND OUT THE WINDOWS

In and out the windows (3x)
As you have done before

Stand and face your partner etc

Follow her to London etc

Dance around together etc

Shake hands before you leave her etc

FIREMEN : SOLDIERS : CARPENTER etc

Songs and Poems about Soldiers, Firemen, Carpenters

TEN LITTLE FIREMEN

Ten little firemen sleeping in a row
Ding dong goes the bell
And down the pole they go
Off on the engine, oh, oh, oh
Using the big hose, so, so, so
When all the fire’s out
Home so-o slow –
Back to bed all in a row

SOLDIERS

Five little soldiers standing in a row
Three stood straight, and two stood so
Along came the captain
And what do you think
They all stood straight as quick as a wink!

THE CARPENTER’S HAMMER

The carpenter’s hammer goes rap, rap, rap
And his saw goes see, saw, see
He saws and measures and hammers and paints
While he builds a house for me

I AM A TAILOR

I am a tailor making clothes
Stitch, stitch, stitch my needle goes

I am a cobbler mending a shoe
Rap, tap, tap and it’s just like new

I’m a policeman. I stand just so
Telling cars to stop, telling cars to go

TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK

THE DANDELION CLOCK

I picked a dandelion clock
And I held it near my nose
I blew the pretty fluff away
And counted up my blows

“It’s one o’clock, it’s two o’clock
I gave a great big puff –
“It’s three o’clock, it’s four o’clock”
Away went all the fluff

My dandelion clock was right
For mother called to me
“Come in and wash your grubby hands
It’s nearly time for tea”

(Ivy Russell)

WINDMILLS

The wind blows high
The wind blows low
And round and round the windmills go
Slowly, slowly, to and fro
Then faster and faster
Round they go

(Eunice Close)

CATS & MICE Songs and Poems etc

Songs and Poems about cats and mice

CAT

I have a pet, he’s fluffy and white
His eyes are green, they shine at night
His fur is thick and warm, and deep
His whiskers waggle when he’s asleep

His tail is long with a kink at the end
But his claws are sharp and my skin can rend
He laps his milk with a tongue so rough
Then he sits and purrs as he cleans his fluff

(K Watts)

MRS PUSSY

Mrs Pussy sleek and fat
And her kittens four
Went to sleep upon the mat
By the kitchen door
Mrs Pussy heard a noise
Up she jumped with glee
Kittens maybe that’s a mouse
Let us go and see
Creeping, creeping on and on
Silently they stole –
But the little mouse had gone
Right back into his hole

MICE

I think mice
Are rather nice
Their tails are long
Their faces small
They haven’t any
Chins at all
Their ears are pink
Their teeth are white
They run about
The house at night
They nibble things
They shouldn’t touch
And no-one seems
To like them much
But I think mice
Are nice!

(Rose Fyleman)

FIVE LITTLE MICE

Five little mice on the pantry floor
Looking for breadcrumbs
Or something more
Five little mice on the shelf up high
Eating so nicely on a pie
But the big round eyes of the wise old cat
See what the five little mice are at
Quickly he jumps, but the mice run away
And hide in their snug little hole all day

MOUSE IN THE HOLE

A little mouse hid in a hole
Hid softly in a little hole
When all was quiet –
As quiet as could be
OUT POPPED HE!

—oOo—

FUNNY LITTLE DOG

A funny little dog came in
To see our school today
He sniffed at all our desks and chairs
And then he ran away

DORMOUSE
“Now winter is coming”
The dormouse said
“I must be thinking
Of going to bed”
So he curled himself up
As small as he could
And went fast asleep
As a Dormouse should

(Lillean McCrea)

A GREETING

I went to say good morning
To a little furry bunny
He sat beside his doorway
For the day was bright and sunny
But oh! I grieve to tell you
He would not stay to play
He turned his tail and bobbed it away

Songs about WEATHER : SEASONS : GROWING THINGS

RAIN

Two ducks went waddling down the lane
Said one to the other, “What beautiful rain!”
Two children came to the door with a frown
Said they “What a pity, it’s pouring down!”
And old Mr Weather scratched his head
“You can’t please everyone!” he said

THIS IS THE TREE

This is the tree with its leaves so green
Here are the apples that hang between
When the wind blows the apples will fall
Here is a basket to gather them all

(H Lee)

PUDDLES

When the rain is coming down
In the puddles I splash around
The water’s wet, but I am dry
I have my boots on, that is why!

PLAYING OUTDOORS

What lovely things outdoors I see!
The sun, a bird, a great big tree!
God put them there for you and me!

IT’S SPRING

In springtime when the rains come down
I look for worms in the soft brown ground
I watch for grass and buds on trees
And pretty flowers and bumblebees!
God gave to us the seasons four
That we should love Him more and more

THANK YOU, GOD, FOR SUMMER

I like to look up in the sky
And watch the lazy clouds go by
I like to feel the bright sun’s rays
Shining warmly upon my face!
I like to watch birds flap their wings
“I thank You, God, for all these things!”

3 thoughts on “Songs and Poems for Young Children”

Thank you for a walk down memory lane, which I stumbled across when looking for the lyrics of a song, which starts..
Two little ladies met in a lane.
Said how do you do? (As they biw to one another).
(The other replies) How do you do?
I would love to remember more.
Thanks again.
Pauline

I am trying to find a song my grandmother used to sing. Please help! I have searched everywhere for the whole song. It has the lyrics: “Cups and saucers, plates and dishes, little boys in Calico britches. Off we go now on a white pony. Open the door and let them in…” I would love to find out the rest to sing to my grandchildren.